The pair, who still live in the Buninyong community, were part of a team led by Beth Ritchie that spent five years raising funds for the pre-school before its eventual opening in 1964, with fathers helping to dig the foundations.

“We saw the need for a kinder in the community,” Ms Crosbie said.

To celebrate its 50th birthday, the pre-school will hold an open day on July 11 and a gala ball on July 12.

Current kinder mother and committee member Leanne Jones has compiled the history of the kinder over its 50 years.

The kinder had remained much the same until recent years, opening up more rooms and its outdoor play space.

“The kinder brings the community together. It’s when the kids first meet each other before they go to school,” Ms Jones said.

Florence Goodwin, 93, worked for more than 20 years at the pre-school – first as a cleaner, then an assistant teacher and finally as a teacher.

“We did sing-a-long, then fruit and milk time, then reading time,” she said.

“We set up everything for the kids before they were here, making the clag and paint and laying it all out for them.”